Mystery surrounds Easynet 'robbery'

Smoke + mirrors + £6m of Cisco kit...

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Updated Easynet suffered a large and embarrassing robbery earlier this week and is doing its best to keep what happened under wraps.

Late on Monday, two thieves used a swipe card to drive a van up to Easynet's Brick Lane headquarters. Once inside they began loading equipment into their van. They were watched by two security guards - one was doing his rounds and the other watched by CCTV - but both assumed the thieves, with their legitimate swipe cards also had a legitimate reason to take the kit, according to our sources.

Several Reg readers have got in touch. One said by email:

"Two of them, they used a valid swipe card to open the side gate, went in with a van; down to the basement.

"Helped themselves to a load of kit, loaded it up, drove out.

"One of the guards was doing his rounds at the time and saw them; the other saw them on CCTV; but since they had a valid swipe card, they just assumed that they were legit."

Other versions of the story appeared on internet service provider mailing lists. One version initially reported that it was an armed robbery and another put the value of the kit stolen at £6m.

According to other Easynet customers who emailed the Reg, the ISP was telling customers a power outage was responsible for the problems. The company is now owned by Rupert Murdoch's BSkyB.

Easynet refused to comment except for this statement: "Easynet is working closely with the police on an investigation following an incident earlier this week."

Which isn't terribly informative.

What is even stranger is that the Metropolitan Police and the City of London Police say they have no record of Easynet being in touch.

Easynet insists the matter has been reported to the police and there is an ongoing investigation. It also sent us this letter (pdf) which was sent out to customers. ®